MP Alibaawo distressed by inmates’ poor conditions at Iganga Prison

Iganga, (UG):- The woman Member of Parliament for Iganga district Hon. Kauma Sauda Alibaawo was distressed about the condition of prisoners, especially the female inmates at Iganga Prison.

The MP who was on Sunday, March 17, 2024, visiting the prison and donating Iftar food to the Muslim prisoners to break their fast, established a number of challenges encountered by the prisoners after an interaction with them.

The female prisoners recounted their condition while in prison and some cited poor hygiene since they cannot even access sanitary pads to cater for their menstruation periods. Others are worried about their children whom they say are not getting good counsel and they are anticipating that they may end up in criminal behaviors since they lack parental counsel.

“On my visit to the facility, I interacted with both male and female inmates. Ladies told me that they don’t have sanitary pads for hygienic menstrual periods and they wear ragged uniforms. They also said that the prison lacks power alternatives and they live in darkness when the power is off,” Hon Alibaawo said.

Hon Kauma who happens to be a member of the Defense and Internal Affairs Committee of Parliament also learnt that the facility is accommodating prisoners beyond capacity and she pledged to forward all concerns to the parliament for action, but also called upon some able individuals and organizations to respond and do something collectively.

Some of them decried the police dog for incriminating them wrongfully while others say they have not been heard in courts of law even after spending quite a long in incarceration, however, the MP promised to engage authorities to get creative solutions to some issues.

“As a member who sits on the Defence and Internal Affairs committee, I have promised to share with the committee members led by the chairperson and we shall get a day, we come and visit such that we get solutions. I can assure them that at least in the budget that is coming, we have appropriated some money for uniforms, beddings but there is still a lot of need,” Alibaawo said.

The MP donated sugar, maize flour, loaves of bread, rice, and prayer mats, among others to the prisoners and the assortments were handed over to some of the prison wardens at the facility.

The LC1 Chairperson Nabidogha Prisons in Iganga Central Division, Iganga municipality Mr. Ngobi Yazid commended Hon Kauma for providing Muslim prisoners with items to facilitate their breaking of fasting during this holy month of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, before donating to the Muslim prisoners at Iganga prison, the MP first verified her particulars in the NRM membership register at Mecca mosque registration center and she learnt about the need to extend the exercise to cater for the school children in boarding sections who she says were not catered for given the stationing of centers at specific places.

“I am requesting our bosses at NRM secretariat to extend the exercise since others were not well sensitized about the issue. Some of our children are in the boarding section and others in the day but were not captured, so if possible there should be a revised way to cater for such members. I call upon fellow leaders to use all avenues in mobilizing for the party,” Hon Alibaawo said.

The secretary for information Kasokoso Central 1 village where Hon. Kauma checked her details, Mr Mugoya Wilson attributed the low turn-up of NRM members in register update and registration to ineffective mobilization.

He urged his bosses in the party to always use different media in mobilizing people for such exercises.